Deep Memories
by Jamesbuc
Summary: After the Dragon king was beaten, Tanya had to start a new life in earthrealm, she knew of now other place to go, but will fate once again catch her up?
1. Beginnings

**Deep memories**

In an apartment somewhere in the city of New York, a tall and dark skinned woman, stood in front of a small vanity mirror hung on the wall, fixing a small coloured contact round her eye. She twiddled with it in annoyance causing her shocking plain white, pupil-less eyes to show. She span the contact back into position, a dark brown iris and a deep black pupil to cover her real eye, and held back her hair placing in a small black hair bobble in her hair. She walked over to the wardrobe smiling and opened the door, her smile faded as in front of here stood a large yellow outfit with long black stripes streaking the sides. See could see, just by looking in it lots of bad and evil memories of who she used to be, changing master like the seasons, kneeling by the dragon kings side before fleeing, scared for her life, and also seeing Reiko on the beach. She pushed back the offending garment, tears welling up in her eyes, and picked out a simple plain purple T-Shirt and jeans combo. She put them on slowly, picked up a couple of black shoes and slid them onto her feet. She headed for the door, stopped once to pick up her small handbag, and left the apartment.

'What's the matter Jean?' Asked her friend, Paula, as they sat down at a nearby café. The woman thought.

'I'm fine' She forced a smile, Paula however was no fool, She could see something was very wrong. She shook she blonde hair out of the ponytail she had set it in.

'Jean? Come on… Tell me whats up?' Suddenly Paula seemed to notice somebody at the other end of the café. 'Tanya!'

Tanya… The very name Jean used to have for her own, she remembered that name and remembered bad, awful memories. Memories she wished could be erased from time itself, but as all knows, you cannot change the past. And with all the past memories, something would come eventually.

Jean walked down the cold pavement, a cold sick feeling in her stomach. She stared down at the ground as she walked giving the signal 'Fuck you'. She thought to herself 'What the hell am I doing, I shoulnt be remembering the past' She looked up as she turned a corner. She next thing she knew she was flat on her back, a gloved had reaching out for her. She clasped the hand and was brought up immediately. Jean shook her head, her vision coming back to her, and as it cleared she saw a quite handsome looking man, two short blond locks waving over his forehead. The rest of his hair obscured by a black baseball cap.

'Are you okay' He asked comfortingly

'Yes… Yes I'm fine' she said smiling.

'Ah that's good' Clarity suddenly registered with him 'Oh im Kurtis, sorry about that'

'Tan…' She stopped, saying that name would be suicide 'Jean' they shook hands smiling.

She went back into her apartment and took off her coat, a small note quickly fell out of the jacket. She sped down to pick it up and read it. It was his number! She put it in the paper bin immediately, ignoring it, she didn't want a relationship, not when she still felt these feelings. She went to bed. Wanting a small nap. She had to get herself a job soon.

As she slept she dreamt. She was back on the beach, it was completely empty, all that she could hear was the soft splashing of wave's of water hitting the soft and golden sand. The clear blue water reflected the sun many times though the waves creating tiny tunnels of light reflecting off the surface of the liquid. Suddenly somebody tapped her on the shoulder, it was Reiko. His calm face looked down at Tanya's and smiled. Tanya span round, hugged and kissed him, eventually they were both rolling on the sand in a sweet and passionate embrace and with her holding him like she just never wanted to let go. Suddenly what was then a calm wind began to spit and throw itself into a wild fury. Both Tanya and Reiko got up in alert, Tanya looked around frightened. The sea had turned unforgiving, the waves splashing against the sand in hard waves, spitting pebbles like bullets. A lone, blurry green figure could be seen across the sand, the feeling of hate rising from the body. Suddenly a spattering of bullets flew across the beach and everything slowed down as the bullets reached both Tanya and Reiko. Jean screamed as she woke up; sweat dripping in beads down her forehead. She ran to the bathroom and soaked her face with a wet towel and looked towards the mirror. She broke down into helpless tears, not knowing what to do.


	2. Changes

_Just one thing to point out here with the Jean/Tanya thing. When Tanya feels bad she starts referring to herself as 'Jean' When she starts to feel better (And when in the dream world) she is reffered to as 'Tanya'. This also applies to Paulo/Reiko exept the rules are a bit more relaxed._

_Anyways ive chatter too much. Enjoy!_

* * *

Jean got up from the ground after a few minutes and washed her face, ice cold water splashing over the tear stains. She sighed. That dream had haunted her ever since Rieko was taken away from her without even a grave to kneel by. Each time it played though her every night, some days more prominent than others. Suddenly the phone began to ring, Jean ran over to the phone, breathless and still partly choking from crying.

'Hello' She coughed, she instantly recognised the voice on the other end

'Hey its Paula' Jean instantly smiled and tried to look natural. She looked at herself in the mirror. She didn't look natural. Paula's voice instantly brought her back to reality. 'You don't sound too good' Jean coughed and headed over to pour herself a drink of water. 'What happened?' Jean remembered about the man she had met in town.

'Oh I just went for home, that's all. I met this guy as well' Jean mentally cursed herself; she knew Paula would be in hysterics.

'You met a guy?'

'It was only a quick meet, I threw his number in the bin'

'Threw in the bin?' Paula sounded obscene 'Come on Jean! You have to get a hold on your life! You cant let your past boyfriend Paulo haunt you for the rest of your life' Jean thought, Paulo… Why couldn't I just call him Reiko? She answered herself almost immediately. Because that would be suicide

'I know Paula but…' Paula cut her short

'No Jean! I order you to call him back! It's easy you know…' Jean kept silent. Paula seemed to sigh on the other end of the phone in exasperation. 'Look… Im sorry if I sounded rude'

'You did' Jean spoke up 'You did sound pretty rude'

'Im sorry' the phone cut off. Jean slowly put down the phone and looked towards the bin, walked over and looked down in it. The singular note lay there by itself with Stryker's name and number on it in thin black lettering. The next thing she knew she was calling up his number. The phone rang on the other end and was picked up by Stryker 'Hey this is Stryker speaking'

'Hey its Jean, the girl from the corner'

'Ohhh, How are you?'

'Im okay' Tanya lied 'you? Stryker seemed to laugh merrily.

'Im good too, Hey why don't we meet up some time?' Tanya seemed shock and mumbled.

'Okay then' Stryker had seemed to take that as a yes 'Ill see you at the Hudson café tomorrow then, ciao' Jean put down the phone. She thought to herself 'What am I doing? She took a gulp of water. 'I can't go with him, not while I still cant get over Reiko'

Jean headed out to the nearest Jobseeker. She needed a job. The hoard of money she stole from the dragon king only would last for so long, besides, she needed some sort of outlet for all her worries. She opened the door and started to head over to the main desk when her heart sank, Agent Sonya Blade stood in the corner sorting out job applications, throwing many of them directly into either a bin or a shredder. It seemed only the best got into where she was. Jean knew she had to act discreet.

'Hello, how may I help you' the receptionist smiled.

'Umm yes, im looking for a job' Sonya had turned to look at her, Jean sat down worried.

'Ok then, have you brought your job listings with you?' Jean handed her listing, most of it was forged and pasted into files thanks to Paulo.

A few minutes later she was near the door, all ready to leave when she tripped, her leaflets spilling out all across the floor. Sonya ran over to help, they both started to pick up the leaflets. Jean got up and met eyes with Sonya. An awkward moment passes where neither of them said a word.

'Here' Sonya passed over the leaflets. Jean walked out of the door, scared as hell. Suddenly the fright turned into joy. She had just been eye to eye with Sonya Blade and she hadn't recognised her at all.

Jean got into bed, awaiting the next dream to take place.

Tanya saw herself on the beach again, the beach she had come to call the beach of dreams. Incorporating both nightmares and reality in a horrifying mix. The beach looked pure, as did the sea and the cloudless sky. The sun blocked only by a passing seagull. She knew what was coming; she felt a tap on her shoulder. Tanya span round to hug Reiko but he didn't look like he used to, he looked pale and serious, and for once, for once in her dream, he began to speak.

'Tanya' He voice seemed god-like 'I know you still want me, still want to keep the faith in me' Tanya nodded crying 'But I cant be there for you anymore… Life was taken from me'

'I know!' Tanya screamed 'its not fair!'

'Nothing is ever fair in this world Tanya, you should know that, but you have to let me go, this is unfair, however you can make it fair' Tanya started to run away from Reiko, This wasn't her dream, this was the truth calling her, deep down she knew it was true' Reiko stopped her, holding her close.

'You must get over me, get over…' The sounds of bullets echoed across the beach and Jean woke up.


End file.
